10th Week in Ordinary Time, St Barnabas, Apostle: Tuesday 11th June 2019

“As you go … proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand”.  The urgency of the message is stressed … they are to waste no time on non-essentials on looking for a place to stay, food to eat, so they are to take nothing along with them. Their very presence and interaction with people is the sign of the kingdom. Jesus gave us his flesh for the life of the world. The incarnation is God’s entrance into the persona.

Jesus’ rules of ministry here, his “tips for the road”, are very interpersonal — putting people first in touch with people. That’s the way the Gospel was first communicated and as St Francis love to say, “preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”! Today we have become addicted to the modern media; despite this, the only way the Gospel words will have any effect on the lives of people is when our witnessing is credible.

The image of the mystical adventurer is one who has put his trust in God and not in the things of this world. It’s as if Jesus is saying: Your lifestyle is what will give you the authority to preach to the world, not your degrees or status. The Spirit is present in the hearts of the simple folks.

In you Lord, we entrust whatever mission is entrusted to us, for without You we can do nothing.